The ascension of edge rusher Nik Bonitto is one of the best developments for the Denver Broncos in recent memory. After a rather quiet rookie season, Bonitto has transformed into one of the best pass rushers in the National Football League. In turn, the Broncos’ defense has become one of the most feared in the NFL—topping the league in sacks for two consecutive seasons.
When it comes to putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, there are only a handful of players in the league that are at his level.
After back-to-back years of double-digit sacks, Bonitto’s pass rushing prowess has earned him multiple Pro-Bowl nods and one second-team All-Pro accolade.
Yesterday after practice, Head Coach Sean Payton gave his thoughts on the fifth-year pass rushers development to date and what he is seeing from him in training camp thus far.
“I think he understands some of the things he does fantastic. He also knows he’s going to get some handoffs his way to try to neutralize maybe his pass rush. He’s gotten stronger and he’s taken on a little bit more of a leadership role in that room.”
While Bonitto’s top-tier pass rushing ability has been tremendous, working on being a better anchor against the run will be important as his career progresses. According to various sources, his run defense grade has ranked near the end of most starters at the position. That’s definitely a key reason he has added some bulk and strength this offseason to help combat the runs that go in his direction.
Nevertheless, Bonitto is still one of the league’s most dynamic defenders. In addition to getting after quarterbacks, he has done a tremendous job causing force fumbles. Over the past few years, he has made a number of game-changing plays that have often turned the gridiron fortunes in Denver’s favor.
While becoming a more well-rounded player is a big goal for the 2026 season, taking on more of a leadership role is there. The Broncos have a youthful edge rusher room, with players like Dondrea Tillman, Jonah Elliss, and Que Robinson all showing promise early on in their careers. Being able to pick the brain of one of the league’s best will help them prepare for the battles to come as the regular season nears.
“I’m trying to be more vocal. I’m not really like a ‘rah-rah’ type of guy, but just kind of giving the guys coaching points and just stuff I see from the outside when they’re in the game, stuff like that. I’m just kind of leading by example in a way,” stated Bonitto.
With the defense aiming to break the all-time sack record in ’26, they’ll need Robinson and the aforementioned players to take their game to the next level. Speaking of Robinson, Bonitto gave big praise from what he is seeing from the former Crimson Tide standout.
“He’s showing out every day in practice. He has all the tools, and whenever he sets his mind to it, nobody can block him. He’s been playing really well right now. I’m excited especially to see these next couple of games what he does out there. I know he’s going to put on a show for sure.”
A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Robinson played in six games last season. He primarily made an impact on special teams but also logged 150 snaps on defense. Robinson finished his rookie campaign with 12 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and a half sack. On 67 total pass rushing snaps, he had 4 hurries, 3 quarterback hits, 2 knockdowns, and 7 pressures.
That’s a promising start to his career. If Bonitto’s insight is any indication of what is to come, look for Robinson to make a big jump as a contributor on defense this season. In the event Jonathon Cooper winds up missing any time, they are certainly going to need it.
